WEBVTT FIXED. >> EVERY DAY I WAKE UP AND I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT IT HAPPENED. YOU KNOW, MY MOM WAS SUCH A GREAT LADY AND SHE DIED A HORRIBLE DEATH. EVERYBODY THINKS IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU. IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU. GREG: KELLY SIMS STRUGGLES TO COPE WITH THE LOSS OF HER MOM. PATRICIA MINCEY’S SPINE WAS CRUSHED, LEAVING HER PARALYZED FROM THE NECK DOWN. THE AIRBAG IN HER CAR DEPLOYED, AS CONFIRMED IN THE POLICE REPORT ON THE CRASH, WHICH ALSO NOTED SHE SUFFERED POSSIBLE LIFE THREATENING INJURIES. MINCEY SUED THE AIRBAG MAKER, CLAIMING THAT NEGLIGENCE BY TAKATA CAUSED HER INJURIES. A CLAIM TAKATA SETTLED TWO MONTHS AFTER MINCEY DIED. >> I WAS REALLY SHOCKED. YOU JUST TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT YOU’RE SAFE AND THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE SELLING THESE PRODUCTS ARE LOOKING OUT FOR YOU. GREG: THE AIRBAGS DESIGNED TO SAVE YOUR LIFE ARE STILL KILLING AND INJURING DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS MORE THAN A DECADE AFTER TAKATA REPORTED SOME OF ITS EXPLOSIVE INFLATORS COULD SPEW METAL AND GLASS PARTS. >> I’VE LOST SO MUCH FAITH IN FORD, THAT I WOULD NOT BUY THE FORD AGAIN. GREG: BROOKE CALDWELL’S FAITH WAS SHATTERED WHEN SHE GOT A NOTICE THAT HER 2008 FORD EDGE WAS RECALLED NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO. THE NOTICE SAID "DO NOT LET ANYONE SIT IN THE FIRST ROW PASSENGER SEAT." >> I’M ANGRY AND I’M FRUSTRATED. GREG: LOCAL DEALERS SAY THEY ARE REPLACING AIRBAG PARTS AS THEY GET THEM. WESH 2 INVESTIGATES CONFIRMED THAT. SO SHE CALLED FORD. >> AND I SAID WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS EITHER FIX IT OR PROVIDE ME WITH A SAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE. AND THEY SAID WELL, WE’RE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT. GREG: A FORD SPOKESWOMAN TOLD ME, "THE UNPRECEDENTED VOLUME AND SCOPE OF THE INDUSTRY-WIDE TAKATA AIRBAG INFLATOR RECALLS HAVE CREATED A SHORTAGE OF REPLACEMENT PARTS." HONDA SAYS IT HAS REPLACEMENT PARTS AND SUPPLIES FOR ALL RECALL REPAIRS. SOMETHING WESH 2 INVESTIGATES VERIFIED AT LOCAL DEALERS. PROBLEM IS, THERE ARE 26 MILLION AIRBAGS FROM 19 MANUFACTURERS THAT NEED FIXING. >> THAT’S A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER ARE LETTING THEM DOWN. GREG: CONSUMER REPORTS’ DAVID FRIEDMAN SAYS THE GOVERNMENT HAS GIVEN AUTO MAKERS MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME, AS EVIDENCED BY THE NEW VEHICLES WITH NEW AIRBAGS SOLD EVERY DAY. HERE’S WHAT YOU SHOULD DO RIGHT NOW. WRITE DOWN YOUR VIN, THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER RIGHT HERE ON THE DASHBOARD. IT’S ALSO ON YOUR INSURANCE AND REGISTRATION CARDS. ON YOUR COMPUTER, LOG ON TO SAFERCAR.GOV. CLICK ON SEARCH FOR RECALLS BY VIN. AND TYPE IN YOUR NUMBER. IT’LL SHOW PENDING RECALLS. BUT PEOPLE LIKE BROOKE ARE CONSIDERING NEW CARS, TO REMEDY THE OLD, AND DANGEROUS, AIRBAG DILEMMA. >> I DON’T WANT MY FAMILY TO BECOME ANOTHER STATIST

WESH 2 News is investigating the biggest recall in history of potentially deadly airbags in millions of vehicles.

Two Florida families will never be the same.

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Federal agents confirm Hien Tran was killed by flying airbag parts in Orlando in 2014 and just last year, Nicole Barker Pahlck was killed in Pasco County by her car's airbag.

There are 13 confirmed deaths and hundreds of injuries.

WESH 2 News Investigative reporter Greg Fox looked into how that list grows, while vehicle owners across the region nervously wait for the potentially deadly problem to be fixed.

"Every day I wake up and I can't believe that it happened. You know, my mom was such a great lady and she died a horrible death," said Kelly Sims. "Everybody thinks it's not going to happen to you. It can happen to you."

Sims is struggling to cope with the loss of her mother.

Patricia Mincey's spine was crushed, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down.

The airbag in her car deployed, as confirmed in the police report on the crash, which also noted she suffered "possible life-threatening injuries."

Mincey sued the airbag maker, claiming that "negligence by Takata" caused her injuries, a claim Takata settled two months after Mincey died.

"I was really shocked. You just take for granted that you're safe. And that people who are selling these products are looking out for you," Sims said.

The airbags designed to save lives are killing and injuring drivers and passengers more than a decade after Takata reported some of its explosive inflators could spew metal and glass parts.

"I've lost so much faith in Ford, that I would not buy the Ford again," said Brooke Caldwell

Caldwell's faith was shattered when she got a notice that her 2008 Ford Edge was recalled nearly two years ago.

The notice said "do not let anyone sit in the first row passenger seat."

"I'm angry and I'm frustrated," Caldwell said.

Local dealers said they are replacing airbag parts as they get them. WESH 2 Investigates confirmed that. So, she called Ford.

"And I said, "What I want you to do is either fix it or provide me with a safe vehicle to drive. And they said, 'Well, we're not able to do that,'" Caldwell said.

A Ford spokeswoman said, "The unprecedented volume and scope of the industry-wide Takata airbag inflator recalls have created a (shortage) of replacement parts."

The following statement was provided by General Motors: "...repairs are on schedule. (We) prioritize the oldest vehicles and those exposed to the highest levels of heat and humidity."

Honda said it "has replacement parts and supplies for all recall repairs." That is something WESH 2 Investigates verified with local dealers.

The problem is that there are 26 million airbags from 19 manufacturers that need to be fixed.

"That's a serious problem and the manufacturer and the dealer are letting them (consumers) down," said David Friedman, of Consumer Reports.

Friedman said the government has given automakers more than enough time, as evidenced by the new vehicles with new airbags sold every day.

"Companies put pennies and profits over the lives of their customers. And that's just wrong," Friedman said.

Here's what drivers should do right now:

Write down your VIN, the vehicle identification number on the dashboard. It's also on insurance and registration cards.

On your computer, head to "safercar.gov," click on "search for recalls by VIN" and type in your number.

It'll show pending recalls.

Some "fast facts" drivers should know about this airbag recall:

Under federal law, all new cars must be free of safety recalls before they can be sold.

Rental cars must have no recalls, but with "used" cars, it's buyer beware.

Most states, including Florida, allow dealers and private owners to sell vehicles without disclosing recall notices.